The Imamate treatise
This book is one of the Khäje Nasir Al-din Tusi’s works and writings. The text of treatise has been written in Arabic. Khäje Nasir has written this treatise for Majd Al-din Shahäb Al-Isläm Ali Ibn Nämvar. In Al-zäri’e has been related that a copy of it, is by the Shahäb Al-din Tabrizi, and a copy, in library of Rägheb Päshä in Istanbul. In this treatise of Imamate, Tusi has researched on five questions of Imamate (what, if or whether, why, how, who). Tusi in “Tajrid” (abstraction), articles and chapters of this treatise, has five principle in the field of Imamate#### as follows:
1- first principle: Grace- By the word of Mu’tazilism and Imamism’s Adliyan, it is necessary for God.
2- Second principle: from the viewpoint of intellectual, it is necessary for God to send a pious leader for guiding and guarding people till they do not mislead (intellectual necessity of Imamate by God).
3- Third principle: a clear specifying or stipulation that God and prophet should choose the Imam and leader among the people
4- Fourth principle: infallibility, which Twelver shiism and seven-Imam shi’ism, both of them consider it as a necessary condition for prophet and Imam.
5- Fifth principle: occultation, which is a separate book by Ne’mäni, Ibn Babooyeh and Sheikh Tusi (means they wrote a book about occultation).
The brief biography of author:
Mohammad the son of Mohammad the son of Hassan Tusi, his patronymic is Abu Ja’far, famous to Khäjeh Nasir, also called Nasir Al-din and also known as a master of Man, “the eleventh intellect” and “the third master”. He was born in 1201 A.D. (597A.H.) in Mashhad. In all prevalent sciences of that time, he has been considered as one of the glories and great men and was world-renowned due to his high intelligence, knowledge and insight. His Islamic and Iranian services are well-known to the noble and common. He went to the “Al-Mut” by the order of Näsir Al-din Abdol Rahmän (Ismä’lism ruler of Mahestän). In 1256A.D.(654A.H.) when the “Al-mut” invaded by the Mongols and Hulägu Khän, Khäjeh Nasir accepted his rank of minster and by this way, he brought the Mongol under his influence by his fore-sight and wisdom. He cooperated with Hulägukhän in invasion to the Baghdäd and had important role in putting an end to the 524 years of Abbäsid caliphat. Khäjeh Nasir made a lot of effort in reviving the Islam, promotion of science and etiquette, improving and guiding the people and establishing the shi’a religion. By the order of Hulägu, he founded the big observatory of Marägheh and up to 16years he supervised there.
His masters:
-His father in transmitted sciences
-Ibn Meytham Bahrani
-Muhaghegh Heli
-Qutb Al-Din Mesri
-Farid Al-Din Dämäd.
His students:
-Qutb Al-din Shiräzi
-Alläme Helli
-Ibn Fuwati
-Ibn Heytham Bahrani
-Seyyed Rukn Al-din Astar Äbädi, etc.
In 1231A.D. (628A.H.) he married with “Narges Khänoom”, dauther of the painter “Fakhr Al-din”. He had 3 sons by the name of Sadr Al-din Ali, Asil Al-din Hassan and Fakhr Al-din Ahmad.
He left monumental works behind himself such as:
- “Akhläq Näseri” (the Nasiri ethics) on practical philosophy and ethics
-“Sharh Al-Ishärät” (explanation of Ishärät on philosophy)
-Writing the “Magesty” on mathematics
-“Zij ilkhäni” (The Ilkhänic Tables) on astronomy
-“ Tajrid Al-Aqäid” (Abstraction of beliefs) on “kaläm”(theology)
-Writing the “Euclid”(oghlidos) on geometry
-“Asäs Al-Eghtebäs”( the base of extraction) on logic
-“Awsäf Al-Ashräf” (the attributes of the Noble) on ethics
-The treatise of “the beginning” (äghäz) and “the end” (anjäm) on the “Origion” (mabda’) and the “Return”(ma’äd)
-The treatise of “predestination”(jabr) and “free will”(ekhtiyär), etc.
This great scholar died on Monday in 24.july.1274 (672.12.17) at the age of seventy five and accordance to his Will he was buried in “Kädhimiya”(Kazimayn).
The book structure:
-The Imamate treatise
-chapter one: the position of Imamate subject
-chapter two: the five Imamate subjects
-the first subject: what is Imamate?
-the second subject: If there is Imam?
-Proving the Imam through two ways
-the first way
-the second way
-the third subject: why should be Imam?(means about the existence of Imam).
-he is on behalf of God
-the fourth subject: the quality of Imamate rank and explaining the Imam’s features
-infallibility
-science or knowledge
- bravery
-superiority
-cleanness
-closeness or relationship with the prophet (p.b.u.h.).
-Signs and miracles
-to be united
-the fifth subject: who is Imam?
-Proving the school of Twelver Shi’ism
-refutation the school of Seven Imam Shi’ism
-chapter three: on occultation (of the Imam Mahdi ).
Sources :
The Imamate treatise by Khäje Nasir Al-din Tusi